Adapter step for ladders



Aug 9, 1960 H. BQHANNAN ADAPTER STEP FOR LADDERS Filed Feb. 6. 1959H/'l/ory Schan/mn 1N VEN TOR.

United States Patenti() 'I i i PatentedAug.Y 9', 1960v 2,948,350 ADAPTERSTEP non LADDERS Hillory Bohannan, Box 742, `Willcox, Ariz. Filed Feb.6, 1959, ser. No. 191,665

4 claims. (ci. 18a- 121) This invention relates generally to anattachment for stepladders and more particularly to anv adapter whichmay be employed to enable removable steps to be added to the stepladderintermediate the fixed rungs.

Painters, electricians, and mos-t any one who uses a stepladder Wil-lreadily agree that numerous occasions arise during which the normalrungs or steps of a stepladder are not positioned properly'for thedesired purpose. For example, stepladders generally vertically spacetheir steps about a foot apart and when, for instance, utilized by anelectrician to install ceiling fixtures, a lower step may not elevatethe electrician sullciently to comfortably reach the ceiling while anupper stepmay cramp him close to the ceiling and hinder his Work.Accordingly, it -is the principal object of this invention to provide anadapter for stepladders to enable removable steps to be added to thestepladder intermediate the fixed rungs thereof.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an adapter forstepladders which is readily attachable and detachable to various typesof conventional ladders.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide an adapter forstepladders which may be safely attached thereto to provide la safefooting for the user.

It is a still further object of this invention to provide and relativelyinexpensive to manufacture.

In accordance with the above noted objects, below 1s particularlyydescribed the structure and operationpfor the ladapter comprisingthisinvention` includmg'arigid rectangular frame having a top member, vabottom member anda vpair of side members. Eachh of the side membersincludes a plurality of vertically spaced grooves. Removable steps areadapted to be slidably received in aligned grooves in the opposed sidemembers. A pair of strap members are provided. The strap members includetop hook portions for overlying the conventional ladder rungs todependingly support itself therefrom adjacent the ladder stiles. Slotsin the strap members are registered with apertures passing through theside members of the frame and 'along with a rear strip member, receivebolts therethrough. The rungs of the ladder are retained between the topmember of the frame and the hook portion of the straps. The bottommember of the frame is adapted to overlie a lower ladder rung. Theremovable steps have reduced end portions which are slidably received inthe grooves. The central portion of the step is intended to be Widerthan the frame. The strap members and strips overlie the grooves andretain the reduced portion of the removable steps therein to prevent theremovable steps from accidentally sliding from the grooves.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsesuently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described :and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing forming a part hereof, wherein anadapter for stepladders which is reliable, ecient, f1-0 2 like numeralsrefer to like parts throughout, and in which: Y

Figure l is an elevational fragmentary view of a con-` ventional ladderutilizing the attachment comprising this invention; Y Figure 2 is asectional view taken substantially along the plane 2-2 of Figure 1; Y Q

Figure 3 is a sectional viewY taken substantially along the plane 3 3 ofFigure 2; and Y Figure 4 is a perspective view illustrating theelementsof the attachment in disassembled form.

With continuing reference to the drawings and initial reference toFigure 1 the numeral 10 generally represents a conventional `stepladderwith whichthe attachment comprising this invention is adapted to beutilized. The stepladder lllincludes opposed `stiles 12 and 14conventionally connected by rungs 16 and 18 whichfare vertically spaced.As is indicated above, it is the pur-` pose of this invention to providea device which will enable `a step to be inserted between the fixedrungs 16 and 18 of ladder 10. L VAccordingly, an adapter is providedincluding a frame 20 having a top member 22, ya bottom member 24 and apair of side members perpendicularly extending between the top andbottom members 22 and 24 at the terminal ends thereof. Only a singleside member-is illustrated in the drawings and this is generallydesignated by the numeral 26. The side member y26 includes a pluralityof vertically spaced grooves 28 therein. -Though not illustrated, theopposed side member is identical to the side member 26 and likewiseincludes grooves as28 which are `aligned therewith. Astep 30 havingreduced end portions 32 and a wide portion 34 separated by a vshoulder36 is slidably received withinA the'V grooves 28 `step 30 can be nolarger than the side member 26-for reasons tovbe understood more fullyhereafter. y Y

Apertures 38 and 40 extend through thesidemembers 26 and areregisti-able with slots 40 and 44 of strap members 46 Yand 48. Each ofthe strap members 4648 AVincludesr a top hook portion 50 including a,`horizontal sec- 'tion 52 andV a 4verticallyrdepending section 514. As`will be noted in Figure 2, the hook portion is ,adapted to l'overlierthe'rung' 16`of ladder' 10 with Y"the horizontal section 52 andvertically depending section 54 lying flush with the surface of the rung16. The body section 56 of strap 46, 48 is angularly related to thehorizontal section 52 as is clearly illustrated in Figure 2. Since thedepth .of the rung 16 may vary for different ladders, slots as 42, 44are provided in the straps 46, 48 rather than apertures to be alignedwith the apertures 38, 40 of the side member 26. A rear strip 60 havingits apertures 62, 64 in registry with the Iapertures 38, 40 of the sidemember 26. Bolts 66 and 68 are received through the slot 42, aperture 38and aperture 62 and slot 44, aperture 40, and aperture 6'4 respectively.Wing nuts 70 and 72 are threadedly engaged with the bolts 66 sand 68 tosecure the assembly. .It will be particularly noted in Figure 4 that thestrap 48 rand strip 60 overlie the grooves 28 of the side member 26 sothat the reduced portion 32 of step 30 received in the grooves 28 isunable `to slidably emerge from the groove 28. That is, as Ilong as thenuts 70 and 72 and bolts 66 and 68 secure the strap 48 and strip 60adjacent the side member 26, the step 30 will be unable to be removedfrom the particular groove 28 in side members 26.

It will be appreciated that the adapter may be easily placed on andremoved from the ladder 10 and also that the step 30 may be utilized inany of a plurality of grooves 28 along the side member 26 between thefixed rungs 16 and 18 of the ladder 10. Though no particular materialshave been described for the invention, it is contemplated that anyconvetnional ladder materials may be utilized :solong `as thecombination of the ladderand` adapter are suioient to sustain thedesired weight. v

The foregoing is considered as illustrativeonly of the principles of theinvention. Further, since numerous modications and changes will readilyoccunto those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit theinvention to the exact construction and operation shown and described,and accordingly, all suitable modiiications and equivalents may beresorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An adapter for stepladders to enable removable steps to be added tothe stepladder intermediate the fixed rungs comprising a rigidrectangular frame including a top member, a bottom member and a pair ofside members, a plurality of vertically spaced grooves in each of said`side members, opposed grooves in said side members adapted to slidablyreceive a step therebetween, and ineans for securing said frame to astepladder, said means including a pair of strap members, said strapmembers secured to said side members, said strap members including a tophook portion, said hook portion adapted to be suspended from saidstepladder rungs, apertures in said side members, slots in said strapmembers, said apertures and slots being aligned to receive boltstherethrough, a pair of strips, said strips having apertures thereinreceiving said bolts, nuts received on said bolts outwardly of saidstrips for securing said strip adjacent said grooves for preventingslidable removal of a step therefrom in one direction.

2. An adapter for stepladders to enable removable steps to be added tothe stepladder intermediate the fixed rungs comprising a rigidrectangular frame including a top member, a bottom member and a pair ofside members, aplurality of vertically spaced grooves in each of saidside members, opposed grooves in said side members adapted to slidablyreceive a step therebetween, and means for securing said frame to astepladder, said means including a pair of strap members, said strapmembers secured to said side members, said strap members including a tophook portion, said hook portion adapted to be suspended from saidstepladder rungs, apertures in said side members, slots in said strapmembers, said apertures and slots being aligned to receive boltstherethrough, a pair of strips, said strips having apertures thereinreceiving said bolts, nuts received on said bolts outwardly of saidstrips for securing said strip adjacent said grooves for preventingslidable removal of a step therefrom in one direct-ion, said strapsoverlying said grooves for preventing slidable removal of a steptherefrom in a second direction.

3. An adapter for stepladders to enable removable steps to be added tothe stepladder intermediate the fixed rungs comprising a rigidrectangular frame including a A top member, a bottom member and a pairof side members, a plurality of vertically spaced grooves in each ofsaid side members, opposed grooves in said side members adapted toslidablyreceive a step therebetween, and means for securing said frameto a stepladder, said means including a pair Vof strap members, saidstrap members secured to said side members, said strap members includinga top hook portion, said hook portion adapted to be suspended from saidstepladder rungs, apertures in said side members, slots in said strapmembers, said apertures and slots being aligned to receive boltstherethrough, a pair of strips, said strips having aper-tures thereinreceiving said bolts, nuts received on said bolts outwardly of saidstrips for securing said strip adjacent said grooves for preventingslidable removal of a step therefrom in one direction, said strapsoverlying said grooves for preventing slidable removal of a steptherefrom in a second direction, said removable step having reduced endportions, said reduced end portions received ,inY said grooves andretained therein between said strips and said straps. i

4. In combination with a stepladder having a pair of opposed stilesconnected by vertically spaced rungs, an adapter for adding removablesteps between said rungs comprising a frame including a pair of groovedside members, a pair of strap members, said strap members including atop hook portion, said hook portion dependingly supporting said strapmembers from one of said rungs adjacent said Stiles, registeredapertures in said side members and said strap members, fastening meansreceived through said registered apertures for securing said side andstrap members together with said one rung secured between said hookportions and said side members, and a removable step slidably receivedin said grooves between said side members.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,643,045 Renfro June 23, 1953 2,684,193 Buckley July 20, 1954 2,876,047LaPlante Mar. 3, 1959

